Vehicle.



' No. 648,0!4. Patenfad Apr. 24, I900.

C. E. WOODS.

VEHICLE.

(Application filed Oct. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Q a O G! J a; Q a

' k I m N "PM: uomus PEI'ERS co. moruumo. WASHINGTON, o. a

Patented Apr. 24,1900. LC. E. WOODS.

No. 648,0I4.

V E H I C L E (Application filad on. 10, 1898.)

(No Model.)

no STATES PATENT Fries.

VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,014, dated April24, 1900.

Application filed October 10, 1898. Serial No. 693,086. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLINTON EDGAR WOoDs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chi: cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicles, (Case No. 7,)of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to vehicles, and has for its object the improvementOf the runninggear entering into the construction thereof and themounting of vehicle-bodies upon their running-gears.

My invention was primarily designed for improving the construction ofmotor-vehicles in the respects above set forth, and is espe cially welladapted to that class of motor-vehicles employing electric motors; but Ido not wish to be limited in the use of my invention to motor-drivenvehicles. 7

By means of my invention I am enabled greatly to simplify theconstruction of vehicles and their running-gears and greatly to reducethe weight of the component parts of running-gears, which, especially inmotorvehicles, is a great desideratum.

In one embodiment of my invention I have employed a perch orWagon-coupling uniting the front and rear axles, one of the axles,preferably the front axle, being pivoted upon the perch to swing in avertical plane, the adjacent portion of the perch where the axle ispivoted being located in the same horizontal plane with the pivotalaxis. The pivoted axle supports at its ends extensions, upon whichvehicle-wheels are mounted, the said extensions being pivoted to thesaid axle. In vehicles employing motors for their propulsion theextensions of the pivoted shaft are coupled, a steeringlever beingconnected with the coupling, which may be operated to direct the wheelsin the selected line of travel. In order to counteract the tendency ofthe front axle to swing in a horizontal plane, I unite the same with therear axle, preferably by vertically yielding connections located uponboth sides of the pivot. In the preferred embodiment of my invention Iinterpose springs or cushions between the wagonbody and the axles, thesprings and wagonbody serving as the means of connection between theaxles. By placing the pivot in the plane of the contiguous portion ofthe perch I am enabled greatly to reduce the rotary effort exertedthereupon when the vehicle encounters unusual obstacles, ruts, or heavygrades.

I am aware that it is old to interpose perches between the axles ofvehicles and to mount one of said axles upon said perch to rotate in avertical plane. Such structures have here; tofore been employed with thepivot considerably removed from the plane of the adjacent portion of theperch, thus subjecting the parts to great strain, which by myconstruction I am enabled to avoid. With the vehi- .cles of the priorart it was necessary to provide crab-jaws or similar devices carried bythe perch for engaging the pivoted axle to prevent the axle from beinginjured by the strains to which it is frequently subjected in the travelof the vehicle. By means of my invention I am enabled to dispense withsuch auxiliary devices and am enabled to simplify the construction ofthe perch itself. As to the prior state of the art, reference may be hadto Patent No. 594,805, issued to H. I. Maxim November 30, 1897.

I will explain my invention more particularly by reference to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentthereof.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor-vehicle constructed inaccordance with my invention, parts being shown in section to re vealmore clearly the nature of the construction. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe runninggear entering into the construction of the vehicle shown inFig. 1.

Like letters indicate like parts in both views.

In this particular instance the front wheels a a are supported by thepivoted axle b, the wheels being mounted upon extensions to a. of saidaxle, said extensions being pivoted upon the ends of the axle. The linka connects the arms a a projecting from the ex= tensions. Asteering-lever a is connected with the extensions, as shown. Aball-andsocket joint a is interposed in the length of thesteering-lever. As the steering-lever is of well-known construction, Iwill not further describe the same.

A perch o is interposed between the front axle Z1 and the rearnon-rotatable axle d. The side members 0' c are bolted to the rear axle.These side members are extended toward the front axle and are therejoined directly together to form a support for the horizontal pivot 13,upon which the axle b is journaled to rotate in a vertical plane, thepivot being practically a continuation of the side members and disposedin the same plane therewith. I interpose between the side members forthe purpose of strength and rigidity a curved bracing member 0 Tomaintain the front and rear axles in their proper relative position andto prevent the pivoted axle from being affected by strains exertedthereon, I preferably connect the axles by the vehicle-body e,vehicle-springs ff, which may be of usual construction, being interposedbetween the vehicle-body and axles and directly attached thereto. Thevehicle-body may serve as a medium of connection between the axleswithout supporting the same directly upon the rear axle.

\Vhere my invention is employed in the construction of motor-vehicles, Ipreferably extend the rear portion of the perch 0 upwardly and unite thesame with the rear axle by means of downward extensions 0 so that thecenters of rotation of the motors g g and the axis of rotation of therear wheels may lie in a plane practically parallel with the roadway. Ipreferably rigidly mountthe motors by coupling each at one end to therear shaft at g and at the other end to the perch at Each motor isprovided with a pinion h, engaging a gear h, mounted upon the rearshaft. The wagon-body and the springs uniting the same with the frontand rear axles form a union or auxiliary coupling between said axles,which is adapted to yield in avertical or perpendicular direction topermit the pivoted axle to swing in a vertical plane or a planeperpendicular to the roadway, said union being practically unyieldinglengthwise, whereby the two axles are effectually braced and maintainedapart. By the construction herein shown the front axle is capable ofswinging to a limited extent in a substantially-vertical plane, wherebythe wheels of the vehicle readily adapt themselves to inequalities inthe roadway. Strains to which the running-gear is subjected are by meansof my improved construction borne by the entire perch and connectedparts instead of a limited portion of the running-gear. By means of theconstruction shown the operating-motors are rigidly supported inposition with relation to the perch and rear axle.

\Vhile I have shown and particularly clescribed one embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, as changes may readilybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofmy invention; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a running-gear for motor-vehicles, the combination with a perchhaving side members c c which converge at one end, of an axle bpivotally mounted upon the converged ends of said perch members, thepivotal axis with the portion of the perch contiguous to said axle, thediverging portions of said perch members being curved upwardly andprovided with downward extensions 0 0 a second non-rotatable axle (Zrigidly united with said extensions, vehicle-wheels upon axle cl, motorsg g fixedly attached to the axle (Z and to the perch members 0' c, andgearing initerposed between said motors and the wheels upon axle d,substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a perch having side members 0 cwhich coned upon the converged ends of the members 0 c to swing in aplane substantially perpendicular to the road way, a secondnon-rotatable axle cl rigidly secured to the perch at the diverged endsof the members 0 c, a vehiclebody, a spring-mou ntin g interposedbetween the vehicle-body and the pivoted axle and serving to support thebody directly upon the pivoted axle independently of the perch, andaspring-mounting interposed between the remaining non-rotatable axle andthe vehiclebody, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day of October,A. D. 1898. CLINTON E. \VOODS.

Witnesses:

A. L. LAWRENCE, Guonon L. CRAGG.

being located in the same horizontal plane verge at one end, of an axleb pivotally mount- TOO

